A vibrant city dotted with tall towers and skyscrapers, Hong Kong is well-known for its food and shopping! This dynamic city is not only a great place to discover the Eastern and Western cultures but also exquisite cuisines. The only regret I had was not staying longer to explore the more scenic parts of Hong Kong during my short trip there.
Barely slept, the first thing we did was to find a good place to eat breakfast. Arming with our itinerary, we set off confidently in search of the cha chaan teng Google introduced.
Kam Fung Cafe
Famous for its egg tarts and milk tea, this cafe is not exactly tourist-friendly. We were really lucky to have someone in the group who knew how to read map and lead us to the correct place. Tuck between shop houses, Kam Fung cafe is always packed with a queue seen forming outside the shop in the wee hours of the morning.
Even though our table could only fit two people, we managed to squeeze all four of us in. Of course that was before we filled our tummies with delicious egg tarts. The combination of crispy crust and melt-in-your mouth egg custard is really phenomenal.
Another of their best seller is the Ham & Chicken Pie. This savoury goodness went right into my tummy before I remembered to take picture of it. A bite into the buttery and crumbly crust revealed tantalising chicken pieces and that was enough to make me devoured the whole thing without sharing it with anyone.
Australia Dairy Company
Visit Australia Dairy Company if you value taste over service as this place is infamous for its horrendous cantankerous waiters who will rush you into ordering in 10 seconds after you are seated down. We did not even have the chance to look at the menu! That aside, the food lives up to its name.
There was already a long queue outside the cafe when we arrived but we did not have to wait too long to be seated. Since they hollered at you for not ordering fast enough, nobody dared to take their own sweet time. Once done eating, you would be shown out of the door almost immediately (imagine a fast forwarded scene in a film). The tip is to know what to order before sitting down, it will definitely help a lot.
Recommended items on the menu such as scrambled eggs and steamed milk pudding are to-die-for. As you know, I am a fan of eggs and this scrambled (good) mess definitely make into my list of Top 10. With an accurate balance of butter and milk, this dish is cooked slowly over medium-low heat till perfection. The small amount of cream added really makes a difference as it gives the scrambled egg a very smooth texture with enough depth. That’s the art of cooking, love it!
Dim Dim Sum
Other than Tim Ho Wan, there are actually a lot of dim sum places in Hong Kong that serve better dim sum. Having several joints in Hong Kong, Dim Dim Sum is well-known among the locals and tourists.
Their menu is pretty extensive ranging from the usual har gao and siew mai to the unique custard buds that comes in piggy shape.
Mido Cafe
Rumoured to be the place where a lot of Hong Kong celebrities frequented, Mido Cafe is by far my favourite. Being one of the oldest cafes in Hong Kong, the cafe interior retains the architecture and design of the nostalgic past.
Unlike the other cha chaan teng that we visited, this place is spacious and peaceful. The second storey was almost vacant and we had the luxury of taking our own sweet time looking at the menu before ordering.
The best thing ever at Mido Cafe is the golden crispy French toast topped with creamy butter and maple syrup. I have never tasted anything better than this…
Via Tokyo
Via Tokyo is definitely a matcha heaven with super creamy and thick matcha ice cream. It also has any and every kind of toppings that you can add to your soft serve for better texture and flavour.
Caffe Habitu
For this trip, we did not really go around looking for cafes to chill. We came across Caffe Habitu by chance when we were exploring the streets.
With interesting coffee flavours such as Crème brûlée and lavender flavoured latte, this cafe attracted a lot of coffee lovers who fancy a cup of unique blend.
Activities
Streets Exploration
Eating is indeed our favourite past time but we did not just eat our way through Hong Kong. We explored the streets as well. I particularly like the streets in Hong Kong as the buildings lining the pavements allude a sense of nostalgic feel.
Disneyland Hong Kong
Yes, we went to Disneyland despite the warning of long ride queues and cranky tourists. If you are expecting a thrilling experience, this family-friendly place is not for you as it is filled with grumpy parents dragging their crying children along the hyperreality streets of the Disney world.
The only thing that can probably sooth your soul is the spectacular fireworks display at the end.
Victoria Peak
There is no doubt that this is the best place to enjoy the view of Hong Kong’s skyscrapers grazing the skyline. Being the highest mountain in Hong Kong, Victoria Peak is a major tourist attraction.
Getting to the top requires you to either walk or take the tram. Taking the tram up a very steep slope is definitely an experience. You should try it!
The shopping
Frankly, I did not shop a lot in Hong Kong as the prices of goods were pretty steep. The only shop I frequented was Sasa. Apparently, Sasa Hong Kong sells pretty renowned skin care products and makeups at a cheap price. If you are someone who always buy back souvenirs for your friends and family whenever you travel, do not bother getting keychains or magnets. Just go to any Sasa shop and haul back boxes of masks and lip balms.
It is a love-hate relationship between Hong Kong and me. Despite the good food, I am still uncomfortable with its fast pace living and choleric citizens.
Fare breakdown of 4 days 3 nights:
| Transport | Duration | Cost |
| Two-way Flight to Hong Kong | 4 hours | SGD$212.70/pax |
| Accomodation | Duration | Cost |
| HK Hostel | 3 nights | SGD$111.18/pax |
| Sightseeing | Address | Cost |
| Disneyland | Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Direction: By MTR, Disneyland Resort Line |
SGD$72.52/pax |
| Victoria Peak | By Bus to Garden Road Peak Tram Lower Terminus Board the Peak Tram shuttle bus No. 15C at the Central(Near Star Ferry Pier 8) Bus Terminus. |
SGD$0.73/pax |
| Mong Kok | Uses the MTR and go to Mong Kok station (not Mong Kok East). Take the E2 exit and walk along Nathan Road towards Shan Tung Street | – |
| Ladies Street | Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon
Direction: MTR Mong Kok Station, Exit E2. Walk along Nelson Street for two blocks |
– |
| Food | Address | Cost |
| Kum Fung Cafe | 41 Spring Garden Ln, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
4-min walk from Exit B2, Wan Chai MTR Station |
SGD$5-10/pax |
| Australia Dairy Company | G/F, 47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan
2-min walk from Exit C2, Jordan MTR Station |
SGD$5-10/pax |
| Dim Dim Sum | G/F, 112 Tung Choi Street,, Mong Kok
2-min walk from Exit B2, Mong Kok MTR Station |
SGD$10-20/pax |
| Mido Cafe | G/F, 63 Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei
4-min walk from Exit C, Yau Ma Tei MTR Station |
SGD$10-20/pax |
| Via Tokyo | G/F, 29A Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
4-min walk from Exit B2, Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station |
SGD$8/pax |
| Caffe Habitu |
G/F, Fortis Bank Tower 77-79 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai
4-min walk from Exit A1, Wan Chai MTR Station, Opposite to Revenue Tower
|
SGD$10-20/pax |
